Rizatriptan Tablets

About rizatriptan

Key points

• Relieves migraines symptoms quickly 
• Taken orally, with or without food 
• Pain relief treatment, available on prescription

Buy rizatriptan online

Buy rizatriptan online today from a trusted UK pharmacy. You can purchase rizatriptan 10mg tablets or rizatriptan orodispersible 10mg, which are suitable for people who cannot swallow tablets. All requests are processed at the discretion of a pharmacist.
 

What is rizatriptan? 

Rizatriptan is an effective migraine treatment. It belongs to a group of medicines called triptans and also sold under the brand name Maxalt.  
 

How does rizatriptan work? 

Rizatriptan works by decreasing the swelling of blood vessels in the brain caused by a migraine. It stops pain signals being sent to the brain and prevents the release of natural chemicals that cause pain and other migraine symptoms. 

What is rizatriptan used for? 

Rizatriptan 10mg tablets are used specifically to treat migraine headaches. It is usually recommended when over the counter pain medication such as aspirin has proven ineffective. 

As well as migraine headaches, rizatriptan can also help to relieve other migraine symptoms, such as: 

• Nausea 
• Vomiting 
• Light sensitivity  
• Sound sensitivity 

How long does rizatriptan take to work? 

Rizatriptan should take no longer than 30 minutes to work. If your migraine returns after taking rizatriptan, you should wait two hours or more before you take another migraine tablet.  

Contact your doctor before taking more than the recommended 20mg dosage if you continue to experience migraine symptoms. 
 

How to take rizatriptan 

Rizatriptan tablets are taken orally, with or without food, when migraine signs first occur.  

Treatment should not be started until the migraine enters the aura stage, as it can be less effective.  

Rizatriptan may work faster if you take the tablets on an empty stomach. You should never crush, chew, or cut rizatriptan tablets. Rizatriptan tablets are also available in orodispersible form, meaning that they will dissolve in the mouth with no water needed for swallowing. This is useful for those who experience nausea and vomiting with migraines.

Rizatriptan dosage instructions

The dose for rizatriptan is 10mg to be taken at the start of a migraine. Another 10mg can be taken after 2 hours, only if the migraine recurs. You should not take a second tablet for the same attack, if the first dose did not work.  

For adults, a maximum dose of 20 mg (two 10 mg tablets) is recommended over a 24-hour period.  

Rizatriptan is not suitable for those over the age of 65.

Rizatriptan side effects

Side effects are possible when taking this medicine. The most common side effects reported in studies are dizziness, sleepiness, and tiredness. Not everyone will experience side effects, but the following may occur: 

Common side effects (up to 10% of users) 

• Tingling sensation
• Headache 
• Reduced skin sensitivity
• Decline in mental alertness
• Insomnia 
• Heart palpitations 
• Facial flushing  
• Throat discomfort 
• Feeling sick, dry mouth or vomiting 
• Diarrhoea or indigestion  
• Feeling of heaviness on your body, neck pain or stiffness 
• Pain in the stomach or chest 

You should call 999 or seek urgent medical attention if you experience any of the following:

• Swelling of face, lips, tongue and/or throat which may cause difficulty breathing and/or swallowing (angioedema) 
• Breathing problems  
• Feeling of tightness in parts of the body 
• Muscle weakness or twitching
• Changes in heartbeat rhythm or rate  
• Confusion, agitation, shivering and diarrhoea

You should also inform your doctor as soon as possible if you experience any symptoms that suggest an allergic reaction (such as a rash or itching) after taking Rizatriptan. 

Rizatriptan warnings

You should avoid taking rizatriptan if: 

• You are allergic to rizatriptan benzoate or any of the other ingredients of this medicine  
• You have moderately severe or severe high blood pressure  
• You have mild high blood pressure that is not controlled by medication 
• You have or have ever had heart problems including heart attack or angina or experienced heart disease related signs 
• You have severe liver or severe kidney problems 
• You have had a stroke or mini stroke  
• You have reduced blood flow to your leg and arms due to blocked arteries (peripheral vascular disease) 

Get advice from your doctor or pharmacist If you are not sure whether any of the above apply to you.  

Rizatriptan and pregnancy

There is limited information about the use of rizatriptan during pregnancy, therefore, it should be avoided if you are pregnant.

Rizatriptan and breastfeeding

Small amount of rizatriptan is present in breastmilk. You should withhold breastfeeding for 24 hours if you have taken rizatriptan.

Rizatriptan interactions

Rizatriptan can affect the way some medicines work. Before treating your migraine with this medication, you should: 

• Inform your GP or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken, or plan to take, any other medicines 
• This includes any over-the-counter medication and herbal medicines  

You should not take Rizatriptan if: 

• You are already taking triptans for migraines, such as sumatriptan, naratriptan or zolmitriptan 
• You are taking a monoamine oxidase MAO inhibitor, or it is less than two weeks since you stopped taking it 
• You use ergotamine-type medicines such as ergotamine or dihydro-ergotamine  
• You use methysergide   
• You are taking propranolol
• You are taking antidepressants that belong to the SSRI or SNRI class, such as fluoxetine and citalopram

Rizatriptan and alcohol 

While alcohol does not stop rizatriptan from working, it is not recommended to mix the two. If you are suffering from a migraine, alcohol can make symptoms worse, and intensify side effects like nausea, dizziness and drowsiness. 

Rizatriptan and contraceptive pill 

Rizatriptan will not interfere with the effectiveness of the contraceptive pill. In clinical trials, there was no increase in the frequency of adverse reactions when rizatriptan was taken with oral contraceptives.

Rizatriptan alternatives

Rizatriptan vs sumatriptan 

• Sumatriptan tablets are available in two different doses, 50mg and 100mg.  
• Rizatriptan and sumatriptan both belong to the serotonin-1 receptor agonist group of drugs and work similarly; stimulating the brain’s serotonin receptors and reversing the widening of the blood vessels that causes a migraine, thereby alleviating pain.  
• Sumatriptan typically takes longer to work than rizatriptan. While rizatriptan is usually effective in no longer than 30 minutes, sumatriptan can take an hour to provide relief from symptoms of a migraine. The results of sumatriptan peak after two to four hours.  
• Dosage amounts are different – if you are taking rizatriptan, you would normally take one 10mg tablet, as opposed to 50mg or 100mg of sumatriptan.  
• Both medications have been proven to be as effective as the other, significantly reducing painful symptoms in around 80 percent of patients. 
• They are available at a comparable price and share potential side effects such as mild nausea, dry mouth, drowsiness, and a mild headache.  

To find out more about sumatriptan, visit our sumatriptan tablets reviews page or have a read of our in-depth sumatriptan guide. 

Rizatriptan vs maxalt 

• There is no clinical difference between rizatriptan and maxalt.  
• Maxalt contains rizatriptan benzoate; the same active ingredient as rizatriptan. 
• Maxalt is the branded version of rizatriptan in the UK, therefore they both work in the same way to efficiently relieve migraine symptoms.

To find out what our customers are saying about maxalt, please take a look at our maxalt tablets reviews page.

How to prevent migraines

Migraines can be triggered by various factors including lifestyle, diet and sometimes medication, therefore a variety of preventive measures should be considered. You could try: 

• Maintaining a regular sleep pattern  
• Managing stress levels  
• Keep a regular exercise routine  
• Stay hydrated and drink plenty of water 
• Avoid common trigger foods such as aged cheese, processed meats, chocolate and alcohol

Rizatriptan ingredients

Active ingredients: Rizatriptan 

Inactive ingredients: mannitol (E421), microcrystalline cellulose (E460a), crospovidone type A, aspartame (E951), magnesium stearate (E572), Colloidal Silicon Dioxide, peppermint, flavor (containing natural flavoring substances and modified food starch E1450). 

Sources

NHS, 2024. Migraine: Treatment. [online] Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/migraine/treatment/ [Accessed 15 May 2024].